Delivery of Summer Grain Fulfilled and Purchasing Plan Overfulfilled

China has completed its collection of summer public grain (agricultural tax in kind) and overfulfilled its summer grain purchasing plan ahead of schedule after gathering a rich harvest this summer. Rural people's communes throughout the country vied with one another to deliver public grain and sell surplus grain to the state. In Peking and Shanghai, the amount purchased by the state more than doubled what the plan called for. In Hupeh and Kweichow Provinces, the amount purchased topped the plan by 50 per cent, and in Chekiang Province, Tientsin and Kiangsu Province by over 20 per cent. Hopei, Shantung, Shensi, Shansi and Szechuan Provinces also fulfilled or overfulfilled their quotas. The task was completed this year at a faster speed and the quality of grain was better than that of the last few years. The movement to criticize Lin Piao and Confucius has further increased the peasants* and cadres' enthusiasm for socialism. Having overcome all kinds of natural disasters, peasants across the land reaped a much larger summer grain harvest than they did last year. After setting aside enough grain for their own consumption and for use as seeds and fodder, they lost no time in delivering and selling grain to the state as part of their effort in implementing Chairman Mao's great strategic principles "Dig tunnels deep, store grain everywhere, and never seek hegemony" and "Be prepared against war, be prepared against natural disasters, and do everything for the people." The correct handling of the relationship between the state, the collective and individuals has ensured the fulfilment of the plans for public grain and state grain purchases, the steady development of the collective economy and the improvement in the commune members' livelihood.